Cold Piece of Work: The Erotic Adventures of A Single Woman

by Niki Jilvontae

  “Ola. How can I help you?” She said as she smiled and I stood there with the pedometer in hand like a mute.

  I didn’t know what to say as my mind wrapped around what my heart already knew. Before I could answer the girl the sound of a fire truck filled my ears as I looked pass her down the hall and saw a little boy about two with David’s face and laugh come towards me fast as he ran on shaky legs.

  “Oh m’ijo slow down.” The girl said as she turned around and picked up the boy before she turned back to me.

  I stared at his little face and saw the man I wanted to claim as my own against his will and I knew that I had lost my mind. I had to think of something quick to get me away from there so I said the first thing that came out of my mouth.

  “Oh hi. I was looking for David. I’m Celeste and he sometimes trains me. He left this pedometer in the gym the other day and the manager asked me if I would bring it to him.” I said quickly as I backed away after I made sure David wasn’t aware it was me at the door.

  After I didn’t hear his voice and could see his shirt from the corner of the window, I began to retreat without her response.

  “Oh, thank you Celeste.” The girl said as I walked down the hall.

  I stopped once I was at the steps. I turned to see her as she stood in the door and stared after me with a confused look on her face. I could tell her women’s intuition had kicked in and she wondered who I really was, so I did my best to ensure her that she didn’t have to worry about me anymore without the use of those exact words.

  “Oh by the way, tell David I won’t be training with him anymore.” I yelled before I sprinted down the steps and out of the girl’s line of sight.

  I ran back down the steps as I held my breath and I didn’t let it go until I was inside. As soon as I did my anger came forward and sent me into an emotional rage. I cried and paced as I cursed myself for being such a fool.

  “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! How the fuck could I be so smart but at the same time so fucking stupid? I know what it was all about, a fuck and that’s all. I wasn’t never supposed to be looking for love. What the fuck?” I asked myself as I took shots of the tequila on my bar before I plopped down on the couch.

  I emerged myself in stupid reality shows until the sun went down, then went to take a hot bubble bath to relax. After I submerged myself in my whirlpool tub and cut on the jets, I let the Drake that played in the background take me away. I closed my eyes and remembered the Yass I once was before Alvin and the job broke me down. I remembered how good it felt to just be me and not crave someone’s touch because I had real love close by. That made me think of the only real time I felt that type of love since my mother had died and that thought lead me straight to the phone once I got out of the tub and got dressed.

  “Why hello Mama Bear, how are you?” I said as I sat down on the couch and tried to bury my emotions so that she wouldn’t pick up on them.

  I tried but as usual it didn’t work because like always, Tina saw right through me. I could hear it in the way she grunted then went silent, she knew something was on my mind. She always saw right through me to the real me no one else ever knew existed. Tina Porter was the only person besides my mother who understood me and could reach me when no one else could. Tina loved me and showed me she was there to help from the first day I walked into her office in the juvenile division of Shelby County Jails.

  Right after I turned 18 and got into a fight with a girl at the park after she bumped into me, I was sent to jail and Tina was in charge of my case. The fact that I had cut the girl up so bad and had been in trouble plenty times before made me a candidate to get transferred to an adult facility with a felony, but Tina wouldn’t let that happen. She fought for me from that first day and was able to get me 10 months in the juvenile facility she worked in with placement in housing and help with a job when I was released.

  The day I was released Tina, her husband Ryan, and their son Kyle were right there and they took me in. The Porters opened their home and finances to me in the form of housing, a college fund, and monthly allowance, which helped me become the lawyer I always wanted to be. They showed me a life I never knew without struggle and violence, while they gave me love and everything their money could buy.

  Tina’s father a white man, owned dozens of laundromats in almost every city around the world and her mother, a black woman, also had a small fortune after she invented a revolutionary hair product. Both of them left all of their money to Tina, their only child when they died and she used it to go to college to work with youth offenders and fund outreach programs. Alongside Tina was Ryan of course, the former mayor of Shelby County. Both of them had everything in the world to offer and they gave it all to me; however, the most important thing that they gave me was their unconditional love. I always felt I belonged and there was people who loved me no matter what, even when it was tough love. I knew deep down that was the type of love I craved. That was what I really desired. I knew that too as I sat there and held the phone as I waited on Tina to reply.

  “Well, finally you call me huh Yasmine? What have you been up to baby? You may as well tell me now because I already know something wrong. I can feel it in my bones Yasmine. Tell me.” Tina said as I felt the damn that held the emotions I tried to bury, suddenly break.

  Before I knew it I was in tears as I rambled off the PG version of what had happened. I told her everything except my crazy episode and Wayne’s episode in a single breath and then fell back on to my bed exhausted. I could hear Tina breath hard on the other end and I could imagine her high yellow skin as it turned red and her blue eyes bulge out of their sockets. I knew that she was both disappointed and concerned for me as I laid in bed and braced myself for the speech due to come. Just as my mother began, the room was suddenly filled with laughter and loud voices which got me off the hook. I could hear Kyle in the background as he talked about a game and someone else laughed. Kyle was quickly shushed by Tina before she told him I was on the phone and he asked what was wrong.

  “Uhhh Yasmine seems to be going through man problems and a little turbulence at work, so could you guys please give us a moment?” Tina asked before Kyle put his face towards the phone and helped to lighten my mood.

  “Awww Yass. Who is he? You want yo little bro to beat him up, ‘cause you know I got you. Now, quit all this crying over the phone over a lame and come home! COME HOME YASSS!” Kyle yelled as I heard Tina move the phone away from him.

  I laughed so loud when I heard Kyle scream from the punch Tina gave him, I almost didn’t hear the other voice that called my name. I stopped in mid chuckle when the person spoke again and what I heard sent a tingle up my spine.

  “Yeah, come home Yassi. Home is where the heart is. Home is where love always is.” The voice said and I felt all the air leave my body.

  I was up on my feet in seconds as I paced the floor in front of the window and asked Tina who the voice was. I racked my brain as I tried to figure it out and begged Tina to tell me. I screamed her name but she had me on hold to play with Kyle so she couldn’t hear me. While I waited for Tina to get back on the phone I tried to calm down as I stared out the window. Just as I looked out and began to release some of the anxiety I felt, there was David. There in the parking lot with his son in his arms and the beautiful Latina on his arm. I watched him put them both into the car and kiss both of them before he walked around the back of the car towards the driver’s seat.

  When he got by the trunk he stopped for a minute and looked right up into my face. I didn’t duck or move like I would have normally done, I just stood there and stared at him with the phone to my ear. I listened to Tina come back to the phone while she still argued with Kyle as David smiled at me before he blew a kiss. At that second I forgot about all emotions as the Yass I once was kicked in. Before I knew it I had flipped David off while I mouthed the words, “FUCK YOU”, and wiped that pretty boy smirk right off his face. I could do nothing but laugh as I watched him storm around the car to get in then spe
ed down the driveway. In seconds I had shed all those feelings for him and fucked him up when I closed the open invitation he thought he had to the pussy. I was so tickled as I watched him speed off, but I held it inside as I watched him do a circle around the lot. When he was gone I stood there for a minute as Tina asked me would I be okay.

  “You know what Tina; I think I’m good now. Nah, I think I’m great. I’ll talk to you later and I promise I’ll be home soon.” I said before Tina said she loved me and I returned the love before I hung up.

  When I put my cellphone down, I felt relieved and as free as I had felt in a while as I ran into my bedroom to pack. I was happy David had given me what I needed to finally let go, but I couldn’t help but feel like I had forgot something important. I shrugged that off though because I was so happy that I was headed straight to Nashville to turn up with my best friend and sexy ass Neco. Gone were the feelings, emotions and desire to be any man I had to FIND’s temporary toy. Nope, I was back on my Yaya shit, Ms. Get-My-Nut-And-Buck until the man of my dreams found me. I knew that trip would provide that too, so I wasted no time. After I packed, I booked a flight that would leave at five am. By the time I finished my prep to leave it was after one in the morning, but I wasn’t tired at all. Instead I was anxious to have some fun and just let go of everything for a while. I also knew that if I went to sleep then I would miss my flight so I showered and then called Snow instead.

  “Wasup skank muffin, what you got going? I thought yo funky ass was gonna be out with boo again.” I said after Snow answered the phone in a sleepy or high tone.

  As soon as she heard my voice Snow instantly perked up and I knew that the turn up was in effect because she wasn’t sleepy, she was definitely high. Her giggles solidified this point as she laughed at whoever yelled in the background before she responded to my questions.

  “IT’s my YaYa! Go YaYa! That’s my best friend, that’s my best friend! Heyyy boo. I’m at the house while these fools, got me hot boxing. I’m high as fuck, just chilling. My boo here with me, but so is yours.” Snow said as she laughed and I laughed along with her.

  “Damn bitch you lit. I need to be there right now. That’s okay though, I will be soon. I was gonna just sneak up on yo funky ass in the morning but I guess since you answered, I’ll gon’ tell you.” I said as I heard Snow make everyone in the background be quiet as she gave me her undivided attention.

  “What bitch? Tell me Yass! Come on ole Blue’s Clues looking ass lil girl, don’t start that guessing game shit.” Snow said and I hollered as she laughed out loud too.

  “Fuck you ole Albino roach looking ass girl, I shouldn’t tell yo motor oil drinking ass shit. But for real boo. I’ll be there in the morning and as you can see. YaYa is BACCCKKK! Ayyyyeeee!” I yelled as Snow joined in and we laughed.

  I felt like the old me too as I laughed with Snow and she told me that’s exactly what she wanted to hear.

  “Maine, I’m so happy to hear that you just don’t know. You lost yourself after Alvin then that job just changed everything else. I know it’s good to grow Yass and move on to better, modify the good in you. But you can’t lose sight of who you really are. Yass you gotta have balance. You can’t live life not feeling free to be who you really are. That’s prison. It’s slavery. Bitch, you gotta step out and be the Yass who sat on the block and spit knowledge to the knuckle heads but would flip a bitch on her head if she had to. The Yass who smoked loud, talked loud, but would give the shirt off her back and all of her time to anyone in need. The Yass who didn’t need nobody to make her feel complete, just someone to love her, without having to find his ass. I’m glad to have that Yass back. Corporate was making you pussy, all in yo feelings and shit. I remember you once said, “Fuck feelings. I’m like a nigga. I’m after a nut and I’m not looking for shit else until Prince Charming finds me.” SO wait on that nigga Yass. In the meantime, bring your sexy, uppity, frog looking ass on up here and let’s turn the fuck up.” Snow said as we both squealed and I felt like things would be alright.

  I talked to Snow until it was well after three am and I had already left the house to head to the airport. I hung up with her just before I went through security and breezed through that part of the process. As soon as I was on the plane, the events of the day caught up with me along with the fact that I hadn’t been to sleep. I was out like a light before we were in the air good with nothing but happy thoughts in my head. The mystery man came to me in my dream as I slept on the plane and we made love on a bed of blue roses. His touch felt so real as he kissed me everywhere and I tried to see his face. His voice filled my ears and made my spine and toes tingle as he told me he loved me while he dug deeper than ever before.

  “I love you Yasmine. Can you see me now? Are you ready for me? Finish your business baby, then it’ll be our time. Have fun, handle work, and I’ll be waiting. I see big things for us in the future baby. You’re going to get all you desire just hold on. Stars are never out of your grasp Yasmine. Keep reaching!” The mystery man whispered as we came together and I woke up with him on my mind.

  I shook off my dream as I got off the plane and headed to my rental car. Once inside my car I headed straight to Snow and her sexy brother Neco.

  “Fuck feelings, get the nut and buck. The mystery man will find you, if that nigga even exist. Either way it’s about me now! Yassssss.” I yelled as I turned up Keisha Cole on my radio, stuck my arm out the window, and sped down the highway towards my thug love.

  Chapter 6: Fucking with a THUG!

  K. Michelle kept me in a mellow, happy mood as I drove through the streets of Nashville towards Neco’s house. I felt just like old YaYa from the block as I grooved to the words of her song, Right One.

  “Fuck you and all that. Blast on Twitter nigga, I’mma blast back. You want ratchet? Well I can be that. Don’t make me call my boys and have yo shit peeled back. You really don’t know how you making me feel. You make me wonna kill a man.” I sang out loud to Wayne even though he wasn’t there as my phone suddenly began to ring.

  I quickly looked at the caller ID on my IPhone to see that it was Wayne and I had to laugh at the irony that he would call when he had just crossed my mind. I threw my phone into the passenger seat and let it ring as I turned the radio up and pushed the pedal down to the floor in the all black Mustang I had just rented. My phone continued to ring as I drove down 14th Ave North and pulled into the Andrew Jackson courts. When I parked my car in front of the building I was happy to see everyone outside. Kids ran and played all around my car as I watched Neco’s porch come to life when all of the 20 occupants on it saw my car pull up. I sat there and laughed for a minute as I watched Neco’s best friend since childhood, Sonny, stand up and try to look in my car as other boys pushed him to the side. A check session quickly broke out when Sonny pushed a taller boy and I had to let my window down for a second to listen before I got out.

  “Damn Sonny, ole black Squidward looking as nigga. You damn near pushed a nigga off the porch thinking it’s a bitch in the car. Ole dehydrated ass nigga. Lonely frog looking ass nigga.” The tall boy said as everyone laughed and Sonny prepared to fire him up.

  I forgot everything bad that had happened as I sat there and listened to those fools and my phone continued to ring.

  “Damn Jabo, ole muscle head, penguin looking ass nigga. That nigga was hoping it was a boy in the car, ole sweet booty ass. If it is a female, we know she don’t want yo dingy Ezel looking ass. Gone on bruh foe I flame yo ass.” Sonny said as everyone fell out on the porch and laughed.

  I laughed my ass off too as I picked up my phone and saw that there were several new voicemails. My laughter quickly subsided when I clicked the voicemail icon and Wayne’s voice suddenly hit my ears.

  “Yass we need to talk like for real. I tried to be mature and get over this but you making this shit impossible. I ain’t gonna lie, I still want to fuck with you but I see you have made up your mind so I’ll just leave that alone. But, I do need you to forgive me and tell me you w
on’t do shit in retaliation. I know what I did was fucked up, but you can’t live eye for an eye Yasmine. Maine, just answer the phone and let’s talk about this like adults. I been thinking about the shit you said before you left the office that day and I really need to know what your next move is. Yasmine, call me back asap. For real!” Wayne said as I listened to his voice go from calm and remorseful, to paranoid and slightly insane.

  I started to laugh at Wayne as I saved the message in case I needed it in the future. However, when his second message started to play all humor was out the window and I clicked right back into revenge mode.

  “Maine bitch, answer this damn phone. You funky ass, thot ass hoe, pick up the phone. Bitch what you think you got on me huh? You really want this Yasmine? Do you? All a man wanted to do was love you and look what you give me in return. My mama warned me about bitches like you a long time ago. She told me if she would go easily for me, she’ll go easily for the next man and females like that ain’t even worth the effort. You were definitely the bitch she referred to when she said that. Bitch you the reason why people say that everything that looks good to you, ain’t good for you. I wish I had never fucked with yo beautiful ass. A beautiful mess is what the fuck you are. But I tell you what, fuck with me wrong and you will regret it. Remember that!” Wayne yelled into the phone as I saved the message and my hands shook in rage.

  I think I zoned out for a second, lost in my anger as I held the phone and another message from Wayne played. I didn’t hear a word he said though I didn’t even hear Neco as he knocked on my window. I didn’t hear or notice shit until Neco had opened the door and reached in to grab me. His sudden touch when I was trapped in an evil corner of my mind put me in complete defense mode as I suddenly started to punch at Neco while I pushed him back and made my way out of the car.